I’m turning into a bookworm again. I just joined a book club with a group of women in my new neighborhood. From their online personalities, it looks like they are a lively group of avid readers and I can’t wait to meet everyone. We’re meeting up in a few weeks to see the movie Lovely Bones...the group read the book a while back.
I ended up ordering the book and then yesterday I realized I already have it. I just never got around to reading it. I was supposed to be unpacking and happened to find it among a bunch of other books I had, so I started reading...and quickly forgot all about packing.
It’s a page turner from the start. It’s about a teenaged girl, who is raped and murdered by her neighbor – the relaxed way it’s written instantly makes me wonder if the author was raped as well. The details are specific, but there’s almost a forced detachment…like…hmmmm idk…I can’t explain it, but I’m willing to bet there’s some large parallels between what happened to the main character and the author's own life.
Though the girl is dead, she’s sort of in her own little Heaven…a midway point between her old life and the afterlife. It’s kind of sad as she watches her family and friends. Some seem to get over her so easily and others, of course, struggle with her being gone and how she came to die. I'm only 75 pages in, so at this point no one except the killer knows how she died (her body has not been found), but they know she's dead because the police dogs found her elbow...creeeeeepy.
Though the girl is dead, she’s sort of in her own little Heaven…a midway point between her old life and the afterlife. It’s kind of sad as she watches her family and friends. Some seem to get over her so easily and others, of course, struggle with her being gone and how she came to die. I'm only 75 pages in, so at this point no one except the killer knows how she died (her body has not been found), but they know she's dead because the police dogs found her elbow...creeeeeepy.
She also watches her killer in his daily routines - dude is a serious wackjob perv type. Loner dude...unmarried...no kids...in his late 30's...living in a neighborhood full of families with kids. The story period is early 1970's...single white men living in surburbia was a rarity, in my mind he really sticks out.
I also picked up a book called “When She Was White”. This is now also a movie called SKIN, but I didn’t get to see it yet. I downloaded it, mostly because Sophie Okonedo (who I luv!) plays the lead character. I'm more interested in reading the book first though.
It’s a true story about a “coloured” (of mixed race) woman who was born to two pro-apartheid white parents in 1955 South Africa. Originally she was classified as “white”, but was reclassified when the White community began to shun her for having brown skin and frizzy hair. Her parents fought the reclassification all the way to the supreme court, but pretty much disowned her when she eloped with a Black man.
This might be a little heavy to some, but I am am so interested in how a woman who grew up as WHITE manages to survive as a Black woman when she wasn't raised as one...particularly in apartheid South Africa when she only knew a life of privilege. Interesting how apartheid worked. If the tables were turned, and two Black parents had a White looking child, I wonder if that instantly would have entitled THAT child to a life of privilege...probably not.
This might be a little heavy to some, but I am am so interested in how a woman who grew up as WHITE manages to survive as a Black woman when she wasn't raised as one...particularly in apartheid South Africa when she only knew a life of privilege. Interesting how apartheid worked. If the tables were turned, and two Black parents had a White looking child, I wonder if that instantly would have entitled THAT child to a life of privilege...probably not.
I'm also fascinated by the fact that two white parents had a black child. While their parents were White and even their grandparents…that dominant gene was still able to travel through three different generations. Maybe the gene was on both sides…I don’t know, but I’m planning to read this book as soon as I'm done with Lovely Bones.
Anybody else reading anything good?
Anybody else reading anything good?
11 comments:
I read my blog. Does that count? I can't find the time or desire to read, but I love some books on cd. My ipod goes from tribe called quest to audiobook. LOL
I go through reading spells. There are times, when I can't put a book down. I may read a couple books a month for a few months. Then there is times when I don't. Depending on what's going on in my life I guess. However, like on my blog I try to read at least one book a month.
Right now I'm reading my favorite author. Eric Jerome Dickey's latest book Midnight Resurrected. It's the latest in his series about the black assassin Gideon. Yeah it has violence, but it is violence with sex, it's sophisticated writing. Gideon is starting to become one of my favorite book characters to read. In the latest book, Gideon is faced against of the best assassins and killers in the world, Midnight, one of the leaders of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse midnight turns out to be the man Gideon was told was his father later on in his life. He thought he killed him when he was a little boy, and started him on the life of being an assassin. He thought he was dead for 20, but in fact he didn't die. Now possible father and son are paid to try to kill each other.
I love Eric Jerome Dickey. He has really matured as a writer. Since the Milk in My Coffee days.
Unlike Rashan Jamal, I hate books on tape, tried it once, it irritated me.
This maybe a little T.M.I., bu t I'm goign to mention it. SinceI haven't been having sex for the last couple months...hmm I've been reading a lot of erotica online. I mean a lot too. I'm not into watching a lot of porn, so I read a lot of stuff online stuff that gets me off. You know the Zane like stuff except not Zane. Haven't read her in years.
Is it weird I rather read hot stuff then watch porn?
Sorry, but we are talking about what we have been reading lately. No sex for YB&DL means more erotica reading here we come!
I just finished reading "Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle and I'm going to read "It's your time" by joel Osteen next. I'm more into self help books then ficton. I watch movies for stories! I saw a clip for that lovely bones movie and it looks like it will be all over the place. Some nice visuals though.
I have to look for both of those books in the library.
I just finished reading Pleasure by Eric Jerome Dickey. Ugh. Wasn't that good. I forgot about his new book Midnight Resurrected. I have to pick that one up too. I love the Gideon series.
Jealous!! I want to join a book club!! *reminds self to begin said search* Hmm I'm trying to get into Bebe Moore Campbell's 72 hour hold but it's a much harder read than I anticipated. Before that I finished Mary Monroe's God Ain't Blind and of course Push!
The books you're reading sound interesting...
**Hopefully I can find em' in the local library!!**
I've been trying to read the book "You gotta sin to get saved" by J.D. Mason for about two weeks now but...its not really holding my interest like that. ::shrugs::
@ Rah...NO that doesn't count! I can't do books on CD. I need to be able to read it and visualize and take my time. Might be creepy having someone read through the creepy parts yo!
@ YBDL...I go through reading spells too. I used to love EJD, but for a while his writing was falling WAY OFF. It just seemed like he was trying too hard to put stuff out there and the content was suffering. I wont touch your TMI session *side eye'g*
@ Dave...lmao @ "I watch movies for stories"! I can't get into self-help books. A lot of that stuff just seems like common sense and it annoys me that someone is GETTING PAID to tell me stuff I should already know and/or practice. This is exactly why I could never get into Iyanla Vanzant.
@ Southern...see...this is why I haven't bought an EJD book in ages. His writing is blah now. Shoot me an email with your addy and I'll mail you my copy of Lovely Bones when I'm done.
@ Contagious...Join one! They seem to be all over the place. Lots of interesting like minded people too. I haven't read Bebe's books in years. Didn't realize they were still being published after her death. It's a shame what has become of her daughter.
@ Liv...see that book sounds too religious for me. i can't. lol...I feel like the biggest sinner saying that, but i know i couldn't read it! Shoot me your addy for the millionth time. i have an extra copy of Lovely Bones. I bought it for $5...would cost just as much for me to return it, so i might as well give it away.
I loooooved Lovely Bones! My book club read it a couple of years ago. I have done next to no leisure reading this year. Boooo! Next year!
I'm sorry, but we can not take book advice from SOuthern Gal.
I'm sorry but she has had the same book up as her Book of the Month selection, for a year now...from her one book having defunct book club. They have apparently been talking about that same book for a year. She is not qualified. Even Ernest J. Gaines is like damn Tracy take my book down already, we get it.
I don't know the last tiem any of y'all read an EJD book, but I think he is a find writer, and his writing is like fine wine, gets better with age baby. The last book that was weak by him maybe was Naughty or Nice, but that was years ago. I say pick up any of his lastes 5 and you would be pleased. Even "Pleasure" Southern Gal, it may not be no "A lesson before dying," but I think it was alright.
Sorry I had to call you out Southern Gal, but it needed to be said.
I've seen Skin, it's a good movie. I'm gonna look into reading 'Lovely Bones'. It sounds really good. Be sure to update on the other books you read...I need to get back on my reading!
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